Tag: social sharing

“Contribution” is an interesting word choice when you think of how Facebook “contributes” to news. To me, Facebook feels like it “is” the news because it is now so deeply engrained in how we send and receive information and messages. However, in taking a step back to see how Facebook contributes to the news generally, we can really see that it’s part of a gigantic world of media.

Facebook is like a newspaper all its own, with news from various reporters, media outlets, and users. I think of it as a big paper like the New York Times. It receives freelance articles, staff and contributor articles, op-eds, and newswire articles. It’s a melting pot of news. Being a digital platform, Facebook is already ahead of so many newspapers in the area of digital media as has a native group of users who participate online. The users are there, it just needs the news. Newspapers have the news, they need the digital readership.

Over the next five years, I see Facebook as being a major vehicle for newspapers to stay alive. Even though there are so many different newspapers and magazines online which share their content on Facebook, they tend to carve out their niche and a loyal readership. Rather than fight to make it on a website alone, newspapers can use Facebook as a way to engage and build these relationships so that the paper’s websites can thrive through Facebook Instant Articles. Users are already on Facebook, they just need their news delivered to them. In a way, Facebook is the new “paper boy”. In this sense, I think that traditional news publishers don’t lose control when they harness the power of their loyal readership.

I also see Facebook as a change agent. I believe that this digital paperboy is also like the paper boy selling papers in a town square yelling, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it! President Obama signs new healthcare bill! Police violence escalating in Chicago!” This is the essence of the snackable nature of Facebook and I believe it leads to greater awareness about what is happening in our world.

Facebook, to me, is the digital printing press, the newsfeed is the digital paperboy giving us our news and yelling about headlines trying to get us to read more and learn more about our world. It’s not the end of newspapers and paperboys, it’s the reinventing of the process and streamlining of information and technology. Whether or not Mark Zuckerburg has too much power is not too different of a question when we consider the empires that particular news organizations and publishing houses have come to be over the years. It’s a season of change and it’s time to turn a new leaf. Before we had print, radio, and television powerhouses—now we have digital giants.

Have you been laboring over a single blog post for hours on end? Ain’t nobody got time for that! With 6 easy steps you can bang out a more effective post regularly.

First things first. Coffee.

Just kidding, but go ahead and enjoy a fresh roast if that’s your thing, or a pumpkin spice latte- whatever gets your groove on. I’m more of a fresh-squeezed OJ girl myself.

Identify your topic.

Decide what it is your want to write about. Keep your interests in mind; effective writing is easy when you know what you are talking about, and even better if you like what you write about.

Timeliness.

Write something that is relevant here and now. Consider something in the news, trendy, or seasonal (fall recipes, fall style, fall events). If you pick a topic like shopping for fall fashion on a budget consider identifying ways to tweak a wardrobe or offer DIY ideas or shopping tips. Make it relevant now.

3. Timelessness.

Write something that will be relevant for here and now, but make sure its shelf life extends beyond this week. Do not limit yourself to the here and now, your blog post can be found for years to come. Make it last.

True story. Choose one graphic of good quality (or two if they are of great quality and different) and embed it in your post (don’t forget to tag it!). Too many graphics take away from the substance of a blog post. Use your graphic to attract readers to your blog- like bees to honey!

6. Embrace pop culture!

Be relatable! Know your audience and write for them. What’s going on in the news? Who said something outlandish? Embrace pop culture and give your post personality. Use hashtags, links, and fun things. Write not just for your audience, but for likes and comments too. Don’t be afraid to jump on the bandwagon of what’s cool. Do you remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and all the fun videos? So does everyone else.